The Brazilian star Vinicius Junior continues to establish himself as one of the standout players in the UEFA Champions League, having become the most contributing player in goals during the knockout stages since his first appearance in the tournament, according to the Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo."

According to the report, Vinicius played a crucial role in eliminating Manchester City, led by Pep Guardiola. He shone in both the first and second legs, and was decisive in the return match by scoring two goals that dashed the English team's hopes, reaffirming his ability to excel in major events.

The newspaper "Mundo Deportivo" explained that Vinicius, in the absence of the duo who dominated the tournament for many years, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, has become the most influential player in the Champions League, surpassing prominent names like Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.

The numbers indicate that the Brazilian star contributed to 29 goals during the knockout stages since the 2018/2019 season, with 16 goals and 13 assists, which is the highest among all European players at this stage of the tournament.

Vinicius continued his brilliance by scoring goals in five consecutive knockout matches, starting from the Arsenal match, through the two Benfica games, to the Manchester City encounter, confirming that he is the most decisive player in the knockout stages. He is followed in the goal contributions list by Kylian Mbappe with 22 contributions and Lewandowski with 21.

The newspaper pointed out that Vinicius's excellence is not limited to the current period but extends over recent years, as he also tops the list of offensive contributions in the Champions League since the 2016/2017 season, narrowly surpassing Mbappe and Lewandowski.

In the Manchester match, the player showed strong character after scoring a penalty, then added another goal in injury time, delivering an outstanding performance. He had previously shone against Bayern Munich, scoring two goals in the 2023/2024 semi-final matches, in which Real Madrid won the title.

Vinicius has scored five goals in the current edition of the tournament, four of which were in the knockout stages, clearly indicating his significant value in crucial matches. Real Madrid is expected to face Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals, a stage where Vinicius is considered one of the standout players, having contributed to 9 goals during this phase, surpassing Kevin De Bruyne, who has 8 contributions since the 2018/2019 season.